Loudoun Leaders Encourage Voting, Hope Election Day Is Drama-Free

STERLING, VA — Loudoun County government and civic leaders joined residents Saturday to walk from the Cascades Senior Center to an early voting location in Sterling as part of a get-out-the vote effort 10 days before the Nov. 3 election.

Participants in the event, sponsored by the Loudoun NAACP, stressed the importance of voting, either at in-person absentee locations across the county or at their local Loudoun precincts on Election Day. They also expressed support for new laws passed in Virginia that make it easier for residents to vote in elections.

Those changes in voting laws have moved Virginia from 49th in ease of voting in the nation among the 50 states to 12th place, U.S. Rep. Jennifer Wexton (D-10th), who is running for re-election, told the crowd gathered at the Loudoun County Government Office at Ridgetop, which is serving as one of four early voting sites in Loudoun County.

The changes include legislation that allows any registered voter to vote absentee in elections, without a reason, and removal of the requirement that voters show a form of identification with a photo to be allowed to vote. Voters in Virginia also can drop off their ballots inside designated boxes set up in their districts after state lawmakers approved a temporary change aimed at easing the voting process during the coronavirus pandemic.

Led by the Loudoun NAACP, along with Equality Loudoun and the Loudoun Chapter of Alpha Phi Alpha Fraternity, nearly 100 residents began their march at noon Saturday at the Senior Center in Cascades — which formerly served as the area's early voting location — and then walked to the new early voting site across Route 7 at the Loudoun County Government Office at Ridgetop.

"I’ve always supported the NAACP and their causes, and I think it’s important that they are helping to get our communities of color and young people to vote," Wexton said in an interview with Patch.

Algonkian District Supervisor Juli Briskman told Patch that her participation in Saturday's event was important because she wanted to inform her constituents that the early voting location on Ridgetop Circle and other early voting locations across the country are open longer hours than in previous elections, making it easier and safer for people to vote in the time of a pandemic.

"The more people that vote early, the more assured we are that they will actually count them on election day," Briskman said, noting that the Loudoun County registrar's office is permitted to process ballots now in order to get them ready to count when polls close at 7 p.m. on Nov. 3. "The more that we can get processed early, the faster our count can come," she said.

Although he did not speak to the crowd, Ashburn District Supervisor Michael Turner said he wanted to attend the event to show his support for increasing the turnout of Americans at the polls in 2020. He also applauded efforts by state lawmakers that have made it easier to vote in Virginia in this year's election.

"I'm a retired Air Force officer and I remember many times walking out to my jet at dawn, thinking, 'This is important work what I do here.' And in my wildest imagination, I never thought there would come a day in America where 30 states would have active voter suppression efforts going on," Turner said. "I fought for a reason and I've had friends who died for a reason. And that's to be able to exercise the right to vote."

Turner said he is impressed with how local jurisdictions as well as citizens have responded to the changes in law in Virginia that have expanded early voting opportunities. "We've made it really easy for Virginians to vote and I'm really proud of the job that we've done," he said.

On Election Day, Turner said he has some worries about possible voter intimidation. "I'm concerned with Virginia's open carry laws and how we might have people armed — I'll call them vigilantes — at the polls to intimidate people," he said.

"Every day from now until the election — and from after the election to January — we're going to see new and unexpected dangers that we're going to have to deal with because these are such unprecedented times and this is such an unprecedented election," he added.

Phyllis Randall, chair of the Loudoun County Board of Supervisors, said she is encouraging people to vote early in Loudoun County in case there are disruptions are Election Day. All the elected officials in Loudoun are letting the county know where they are going to be on Election Day in case there are any disturbances, she said.

Loudoun NAACP President Michelle Thomas told Patch that she is confident the Loudoun County Sheriff's Office will be able to protect residents who choose to vote on Election Day.

"But I do believe that there will be those opportunities to try to suppress the vote," Thomas said. "I know that our sheriff's department and our police departments Loudoun-wide will be prepared. ... I have all faith and confidence in [Loudoun County Sheriff] Mike Chapman and his deputies in their ability to protect the vote and protect voters."

Koran Saines, Sterling District supervisor and vice chairman of the Loudoun County board, said lawmakers across the country should not be putting up barriers to voting. "What are you afraid of?" he said.

"If I had my way, voting would be a federal holiday here in the U.S. so they can go exercise their right to vote in a safe, fair manner," Saines said.

Despite how political divisiveness has grown over the past four years, "we are all much alike at the end of the day," he said.

"It's about having those conversations, talking to one another and sharing our stories. I guarantee we can all relate a lot more to each other," he said. "And that's what we need to do."

The Loudoun NAACP plans to hold a final voting event on Saturday, Oct. 31 to get people to vote in the Nov. 3 election. With the local chapter of the NAACP feeling confident that it has succeeded in encouraging large numbers of people to vote this year, Thomas said she expects next Saturday's event will have the feel of a celebration.

"Next week, more people will have voted and engaged in the process, so it will be a big ole homecoming party," she predicted.

RELATED: Loudoun Voter Guide 2020: Deadlines, Candidates, How To Vote

This article originally appeared on the Ashburn Patch